Saturday, December 03, 2016

Book Review: The Structure of Wing Chun

I like this book a lot. It’s very readable and I like the
way it is written.

Alan Orr teaches a branch of Wing Chun that is firmly based
about six core elements. His is a system of principles rather than techniques.

Orr begins with some personal history, something about
various martial arts he has trained in or exposed to, a little about his
teachers and a brief mention that his method of teaching and training is based
upon some first principles.

He then continues to spiral with more about his martial arts
journey, more about his teachers and how he was exposed to the principles.

Orr feels very strongly that if you are learning about
combat, that you have to fight. Beating people up in the street is frowned
upon, so his students regularly participate in MMA matches. There are vignettes
by his students who have trained with him and fought in MMA matches. Some of
these students have gone on to teach others as well.

To do this, he’s had to add grappling to his repertoire and
so has learned BJJ. Orr is a master within his system of Wing Chun as well as a
legitimate BJJ black belt. One of the things I have admired about Judo is that
there is a consistent philosophy in both standing and grappling situations. Orr’s
take on BJJ fits his Wing Chun philosophy like a glove

We read about Wing Chun history and how it fits in with
today’s interpretations. Orr trains with all the traditional forms, weapons and
tools as well as the latest in modern methods. Orr doesn’t make a big deal out
of it, but I think that it’s worth pointing out that the “traditional” methods
that some of us revere WERE the latest in available technology to those who
came before us.

Orr writes about the philosophy behind the forms, which is
something I have not really encountered before and again ties everything together
with the six core elements.

More personal history, more from his students, from his
teachers in the form of interviews … and the table is set. By the time we get
to the latter half of the book, the table has been thoroughly set for his to
explain his six core elements, learn some drills and begin to work with this
stuff.

Orr offers some on line options to learn from him, or at
least learn more.

I am not a Wing Chun student, but I really liked this book
and felt that I learned something from it. I think this book and it’s approach
could well be a model for how martial arts books are written in the future.